On Tonight: Finn, Jake & Duke

Another well designed new animated series makes its debut tonight with "Adventure Time with Finn & Jake" (Cartoon Network, 8 p.m.). It's from Pendleton Ward, and follows a similar line to "The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack" for which he was a storyboard artist, with fanciful characters and a whole new world to explore. This one is about a human boy with a funny hat and backpack alongside an old dog with magical powers. Think of it as Peabody and Sherman for the new century done up like "Yellow Submarine."

In new live action shows, "Runaway Squad" (A&E, 10 p.m.), tough guy ex-cop Joe Mazzilli takes to the New York streets to seek out runaways often involved in prostitution. It's difficult to see how dragging along cameras help their undercover operations. But the first episode at least ends with a 15 year old's recounting of her ordeal.

The special "Christian Siriano: Having a Moment" (Bravo, 10 p.m.) catches up with the memorably quirky fourth season winner of "Project Runway" is seen preparing for fashion week, and doing remarkably well with his business. Better, certainly, than first season winner Jay McCarroll, who has team captain on the low rent TV weight loss show "Celebrity Fit Club: Boot Camp" (VH1, 9 p.m.), which reaches its season finale this week.

The bizarre case of the fatwa issued on novelist Salman Rushdie in 1989 is recounted in the British documentary, "The Satanic Verses" (Ovation, 8 p.m.), part of the network's "Sacred to Profane" series.

NCAA Men's Basketball Championship pits Butler vs. Duke (CBS, 9 p.m.). Now who among us had them in the final two?

The remaining dancers will do the Paso Doble, quickstep or waltz on "Dancing with the Stars" (ABC, 8 p.m.), which last week beat "American Idol" in the ratings for the first time.

A two hour "24" (Fox, 8 p.m.) brings the drama and its ticking bomb right into the morning rush hour.

There's just one hockey game on tonight, Bruins at Capitals (Versus, 7 p.m.). And the NBA takes the night off.

Nat Geo Wild continues to roll out new shows, including "Expedition Wild" (Nat Geo Wild, 9 p.m.), in which Casey Anderson fails to learn the lessons of "Grizzly Man" and gets way too close to bears including the 900-pound grizzly he's been raising on his own. Later, Mireya Mayor gets too close to another species in "Mystery Gorillas" (Nat Geo Wild, 10 p.m.).

"Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood" (Oxygen, 10 p.m.) starts its fifth season by going on a road trip.it's no surprise the two are starting to get on eachother's nerves.

Ready for another sports talk show? "The Daily Line" (Versus,6 p.m.) begins. show

A monthlong Monday night salute to director George Stevens begins tonight on Turner Classic Movies with one of his biggest: "Giant" (8 p.m.). Later, there's a pair of westerns, "Shane" (1:30 p.m.) and "Annie Oakley" (3:45 a.m.), after the documentary on his work, "George Stevens: A Filmmakers Journey" (11:30 p.m.).

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Roger Catlin is TV critic for the Hartford Courant and writes a daily column about what's on television called TV Eye. He is also on the board of the Television Critics Association. Before all of this, he was rock critic ... read more